The present invention concerns a roof which can be retracted or withdrawn into the rear boot of a vehicle.
Such a retractable roof makes it possible in particular to convert a vehicle of the two-seater coupe or four-seater coupe or saloon type into a vehicle of the cabriolet type.
In the case of four-seater coupes or saloons, the roof has a relatively long length, so that the retractable roof is composed of three elements, each of which has a length compatible with the dimensions of the vehicle boot.
Thus a retractable roof for a vehicle is known, comprising a front roof element, an intermediate roof element and a rear roof element, these three elements being able to move between a position in which they cover the vehicle cabin and a position in which they are superimposed substantially horizontally in the rear boot of the vehicle.
The aim of the present invention is to afford improvements to the known means, in order to optimally control and guide the movement of the roof elements between their closure position and their position of storage in the boot.
According to the Invention, the retractable roof is characterised in that the rear part of the rear element is articulated at a fixed point on the chassis, the front part of this rear element being connected in an articulated fashion to the rear of the intermediate element, in that the intermediate element is connected in an articulated fashion by an arm articulated at a fixed point on the chassis, the articulations of this arm forming a deformable quadrilateral with the articulations of the rear element, in that the intermediate element comprises a slide extending between its front and rear edges and in which there is engaged a finger carded by the rear of the front element so that the latter can slide on the intermediate element, and in that this intermediate element is connected to the front element by a lever articulated on this element and close to the front of the intermediate element, this lever itself being connected in an articulated fashion to the said arm by a link.
Other particularities and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the following description.